Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire

Available Now

Seanan McGuire is back with another installment in the Wayward Children series. In this stand alone novella, Regan discovers a doorway leading to the Hooflands after facing a devastating betrayal by her best friend. In a world inhabited by centaurs and unicorns, Regan’s appearance can only mean that something big is going to happen as humans are seen as true heroes and must begin their heroic journey immediately. But as time goes on, Regan convinces her new centaur family that she isn’t a hero, merely a young girl who wants to be accepted for who she is and to find a place where she truly belongs. 

This novella truly can be read without any knowledge of the previous installments in the series, though all of the books are definitely worth reading. Like the other books in this series, McGuire takes great care to create relationships between characters that are loving, kind, and accepting. Regan learns from her parents that she is intersex after an emotional discussion about her lack of physical development as compared to her friends. Her parents are incredibly honest and supportive in answering Regan’s questions and remind her repeatedly that she is perfect as she is. After Regan shares this information with her best friend Laurel, Laurel’s shameful and outraged reaction sends Regan reeling. It’s through this haze of hurt and disbelief that Regan discovers her doorway, as all the series’ characters do. On the other side, Regan is seen as a hero and any differences she may have from her new family solely stem from her being human and have little or nothing to do with her gender. Regan’s humanity makes her a target for other centaurs to capture and be taken to the fabled queen, but Regan’s newly found family accepts her belief that she isn’t a hero and provides her protection and training. The world building is incredibly well done and I loved the support and love found among the cast of characters. One of my favorite parts of the world is in the Hooflands, Regan learns that unicorns are silly creatures that need constant attention from their farmers, the centaurs, and this information is a delight to watch unfold.

McGuire has given us a wonderful twist on the classic “horse girl” trope and plays with the classical hero’s journey. Regan has no desire to be a hero, even as all the centaurs around her firmly believe that she is the harbinger of some big change as all humans are heroes. It’s an honor for Pansy to have been the first to see her and claim her as her own. It’s no surprise then, that when the time comes for Regan to fulfill her hero’s duty, she does it her way without any regrets. 

Perfect for young adult fantasy readers, this is a wonderful invitation to pick up this amazing series. 

If you would like to add this book to your collection, you can find ordering information here:

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Girl in the Witch's Garden by Erin Bowman

Available June 23, 2020

This book does have some discussions of parent illness and death, divorce, and the mother is magically spelled to be mean to children.

This book is absolutely delightful.

When her father becomes too ill to care for her, 12 year old Piper is sent to live with the mother who left her when she was only four. Hurt to find her absent mother has been fostering children, Piper is even more shocked when the children begin speaking of spells and magical gardens. Highly skeptical, Piper is convinced the children are playing a joke on her. But after meeting her mother for the first time in years, she learns her mother not only comes for a long line of witches, but is cold and dismissive of Piper when she learns Piper doesn’t have an affinity for magic.

Hurt, scared, and frustrated that she can’t communicate with her father, Piper spends her days bitter towards her new foster siblings and exhausted by their long list of chores. When Piper joins the children in their search for the secret, and magical, entrance to the dead gardens, she discovers that there is more to the story than she has been led to believe.

Full of mystery and action, The Girl and the Witch’s Garden is a beautiful story of family, friendship, and finding our inner strength.

I really enjoyed this middle grade fantasy novel. Piper is such a complex character that many children will relate to. She has grown up feeling abandoned by her mother and now has a dad with cancer and his treatments aren’t working. Her feelings of abandonment are intensified when she discovers her mother left not only for work, but begins fostering children. Not once has she tried to have a relationship with Piper but she wants one with other children? Piper has so much to deal with in this story and yet still remains strong and determined to make it to the end of the summer and see her father again. When she finds that she does have magical ability, Piper doesn’t use it just for herself, but to help out the children her mother has promised adoption to only if they can give her the secret to the gardens. Piper doesn’t want the other children chosen over her, but she also wants them to have a home.

The magic system is really well done with each child having their own affinity, or special ability. There is a creepy cat that always appears to be spying on the children-cats are creepy so I love that it was a cat. The children have to solve clues and find keys to unlock various parts of the secret garden mystery and it’s all very action packed and full of self discovery.

Sound like something you want to read? Want your own copy? You can get one here:

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.